It seems we have been discussing Baltimore’s Red Line project for quite some time, and in fact, we have. The Red Line was initially proposed in 2001, when Parris Glendening was the governor. Fast forward to 2024, and the current governor is moving forward with the Red Line.

Another debate over the Red Line has been what mode of transit is used: tunnel or light-rail. Bus rapid transit has also been discussed at various points in time. While the current administration has indicated this will be a light-rail project, they are looking for feedback from the public, with the public comment period running from Oct. 22 to Nov. 22.

As a traffic and transportation planner headquartered in Baltimore, and a lifelong Marylander, I thought it was helpful to provide some details that might shed light on what form the Red Line should take.

While it seems the governor and his team have made up their minds, it’s still not too late to consider the facts. The Baltimore Sun did an excellent job in detailing just how expensive a tunnel would cost compared with surface-level light-rail. But, most aren’t recognizing that there is an even more affordable option: bus rapid transit, in which city buses use dedicated lanes and roadways to transport members of the public.

The Red Line light-rail option is notoriously expensive — to the tune of approximately $285 million to $600 million per mile. The Purple Line light rail system in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties will cost at least $345 million per mile. For a little over 16 miles, it will cost a total of $5.6 billion!

Baltimore’s Red Line was originally projected to cost $2.9 billion for 14 miles, or $205 million per mile for the Woodlawn-to-Bayview stretch.

This is no small undertaking from a financial standpoint, particularly when Baltimore City and the state are already overflowing with debt.

In addition, a minimum population density of 47 people per acre is required for subways, while for light-rail a minimum population density of 28-60 people per acre is required. To put it in perspective, Baltimore City has approximately 565,000 people on 52,000 acres, or less than 11 people per acre — far below the minimum population density requirements. While it may not seem that way, the reality is that Baltimore City is not dense from a residential or commercial perspective.

Simply put, based on the numbers alone, building the Red Line light-rail would be a huge economic mistake for Baltimore City.

So, what’s the answer? Many modern cities are using bus rapid transit, which aims to combine the capacity and speed of a light rail or metro system with the flexibility, cost and simplicity of a bus system. Comparatively, bus rapid transit is typically $20 million to $50 million per mile — much less expensive than light rail.

This doesn’t mean we are trading quality for cost. A bus rapid transit solution has all the amenities of modern rail while allowing for flexibility. Buses in such a system ride on dedicated lanes, but they have the ability to leave those lanes and take another route if necessary. Rail, by contrast, cannot switch routes once constructed.

Bus rapid transit systems can be built in the median area of roadways, the same layout as the proposed Red Line. Larger buses in dedicated lanes move faster along the route due to traffic signal priority systems, allowing people to move faster from origin to destination.

In a city like Baltimore, there’s no better choice than a rapid bus transit system to dramatically improve the public’s transit options as quickly and affordably as possible.

Wes Guckert is president and CEO of The Traffic Group, a Baltimore-based traffic engineering and transportation planning firm.